Trump State of the Union: 'There has never been a better time to start living the American dream'

Striking an optimistic tone in his first State of the Union address, President Donald Trump declared the state of the union strong "because our people are strong." Trump touted the economy and his tax cuts and declared a "new American moment." (Jan. 30)
AP

President Donald Trump delivers the State of the Union address on Jan. 30, 2018 from the House chamber of the United States Capitol in Washington.(Photo: Jasper Colt, USA TODAY)

WASHINGTON — President Trump attempted to turn what he sees as successes of his first year in office — tax cuts, deregulation and an offensive against the Islamic State — into a second-year agenda that he said will bring about a "new American moment."

"There has never been a better time to start living the American dream," Trump said in his first official State of the Union Address on Tuesday.

That optimistic tone underscored an appeal for bipartisanship on the two issues that could define Trump's second year: Immigration and infrastructure.

Trump said he is "extending an open hand to work with members of both parties, Democrats and Republicans, to protect our citizens, of every background, color, and creed."

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A member of congress takes a photo with President Donald Trump after the State of the Union address on Jan. 30, 2018 from the House chamber of the United States Capitol in Washington. Jasper Colt, USA TODAY

President Donald Trump shakes hands with members of congress after delivering the State of the Union address on Jan. 30, 2018 from the House chamber of the United States Capitol in Washington. Jasper Colt, USA TODAY

President Donald Trump talks with members of congress after delivering the State of the Union address on Jan. 30, 2018 from the House chamber of the United States Capitol in Washington. Jasper Colt, USA TODAY

North Korean defector Ji Seong-Ho stands after President Donald Trump acknowledged him during the State of the Union address on Jan. 30, 2018 from the House chamber of the United States Capitol in Washington. Jack Gruber, USA TODAY

Cindy and Fred Warmbier, the parents of Otto Wambier, stand after President Donald Trump acknowledged them during the State of the Union address on Jan. 30, 2018 from the House chamber of the United States Capitol in Washington. Jack Gruber, USA TODAY

Members of President Trump's cabinet applaud Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis during the State of the Union address on Jan. 30, 2018 from the House chamber of the United States Capitol in Washington. Jack Gruber, USA TODAY

Staff Sgt. Justin Peck stands as he is acknowledged by President Donald Trump during the State of the Union address on Jan. 30, 2018 from the House chamber of the United States Capitol in Washington. Jack Gruber, USA TODAY

President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and Speaker of the House Paul Ryan applaud Staff Sgt. Justin Peck during the State of the Union address on Jan. 30, 2018 from the House chamber of the United States Capitol in Washington. Jack Gruber, USA TODAY

Officer Ryan Holets and his wife Rebecca stand next to First Lady Melania Trump as they are acknowledged by President Donald Trump during the State of the Union address on Jan. 30, 2018 from the House chamber of the United States Capitol in Washington. Jasper Colt, USA TODAY

Donald Trump, Jr., and Tiffany Trump applaud as President Donald Trump delivers the State of the Union address on Jan. 30, 2018 from the House chamber of the United States Capitol in Washington. Jack Gruber, USA TODAY

Corey Adams stands after being acknowledged by Donald Trump during the State of the Union address on Jan. 30, 2018 from the House chamber of the United States Capitol in Washington. Jack Gruber, USA TODAY

United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agent CJ Martinez stands as he is acknowledged by President Trump during the State of the Union address on Jan. 30, 2018 from the House chamber of the United States Capitol in Washington. Jack Gruber, USA TODAY

Guests of President Donald Trump, Elizabeth Alvarado, Evelyn Rodriguez, and Freddy Cuevas stand as they are acknowledged by President Trump during the State of the Union address on Jan. 30, 2018 from the House chamber of the United States Capitol in Washington. They are the parents of Nisa Mickens and Kayla Cuevas, who were murdered by MS-13 gang members in Sept. 2016. Jack Gruber, USA TODAY

First Lady Melania Trump acknowledges Evelyn Rodriguez, and Freddy Cuevas during the State of the Union address on Jan. 30, 2018 from the House chamber of the United States Capitol in Washington. They are the parents of Kayla Cuevas, who was murdered by MS-13 gang members in Sept. 2016. Jack Gruber, USA TODAY

Sen. Joe Manchin, D-WV, applauds as President Donald Trump delivers the State of the Union address on Jan. 30, 2018 from the House chamber of the United States Capitol in Washington. Jasper Colt, USA TODAY

Sen. Corey Booker, D-N.J., center listens as President Donald Trump delivers the State of the Union address on Jan. 30, 2018 from the House chamber of the United States Capitol in Washington. Jack Gruber, USA TODAY

Second Lady Karen Pence greets Coast Guard Petty Officer Ashlee Leppert before Donald Trump delivers the State of the Union address on Jan. 30, 2018 from the House chamber of the United States Capitol in Washington. Jack Gruber, USA TODAY

Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., and Minority Leader Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., listen as President Donald Trump delivers the State of the Union address on Jan. 30, 2018 from the House chamber of the United States Capitol in Washington. Jack Gruber, USA TODAY

Preston Sharp smiles as he is acknowledged by President Donald Trump during the State of the Union address on Jan. 30, 2018 from the House chamber of the United States Capitol in Washington. Sharp was visiting his veteran grandfather's grave in 2015 when he noticed that other local veterans were not being honored with American flags or flowers. To date, he has organized the placement of more than 40,000 American flags and red carnations on soldiers' graves. Jasper Colt, USA TODAY

President Donald Trump acknowledges the audience before delivering the State of the Union address on Jan. 30, 2018 from the House chamber of the United States Capitol in Washington. Jack Gruber, USA TODAY

President Donald Trump greets House Speaker Paul Ryan before delivering the State of the Union address on Jan. 30, 2018 from the House chamber of the United States Capitol in Washington. Jack Gruber, USA TODAY

President Donald Trump acknowledges the audience before delivering the State of the Union address on Jan. 30, 2018 from the House chamber of the United States Capitol in Washington. Jasper Colt, USA TODAY

President Donald Trump greets members of congress before delivering the State of the Union address on Jan. 30, 2018 from the House chamber of the United States Capitol in Washington. Jasper Colt, USA TODAY

Members of congress gather before President Donald Trump delivers the State of the Union address on Jan. 30, 2018 from the House chamber of the United States Capitol in Washington. Jack Gruber, USA TODAY

Attorney General of the United States Jeff Session is seen before President Donald Trump delivers the State of the Union address on Jan. 30, 2018 from the House chamber of the United States Capitol in Washington. Jack Gruber, USA TODAY

First Lady Melania Trump is seen before President Donald Trump delivers the State of the Union address on Jan. 30, 2018 from the House chamber of the United States Capitol in Washington. Jasper Colt, USA TODAY

First Lady Melania Trump is seen before President Donald Trump delivers the State of the Union address on Jan. 30, 2018 from the House chamber of the United States Capitol in Washington. Jack Gruber, USA TODAY

From left, Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court John Roberts, Associate Justice Stephen Breyer, Associate Justice Elena Kagan and Associate Justice Neil Gorsuch are seen before President Donald Trump delivers the State of the Union address on Jan. 30, 2018 from the House chamber of the United States Capitol in Washington. Jack Gruber, USA TODAY

Vice President Mike Pence greets members of congress before President Donald Trump delivers the State of the Union address on Jan. 30, 2018 from the House chamber of the United States Capitol in Washington. Jack Gruber, USA TODAY

Jared Kushner, senior advisor to President Trump and Trump's son-in-law, and Ivanka Trump, advisor to President Trump and Trump's daughter, are seen before President Donald Trump delivers the State of the Union address. Jack Gruber, USA TODAY

Guests of President Donald Trump, from left, Robert Mickens, Elizabeth Alvarado, Evelyn Rodriguez, and Freddy Cuevas are seen before President Trump delivers the State of the Union address on Jan. 30, 2018 from the House chamber of the United States Capitol in Washington. The four are the parents of Nisa Mickens and Kayla Cuevas murdered by MS-13 gang members in Sept. 2016. Jasper Colt, USA TODAY

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., left, waits for President Donald Trump to deliver the State of the Union address on Jan. 30, 2018 from the House chamber of the United States Capitol in Washington. Jack Gruber, USA TODAY

Guests of President Donald Trump, David Dahlberg, left, and Jon Bridgers, right, speak before President Trump delivers the State of the Union address on Jan. 30, 2018 from the House chamber of the United States Capitol in Washington. Dahlberg fire prevention technician in southern California. He saved 62 children and staff members in July 2017 from a raging wildfire that encircled their camp. Jon Bridgers founded the Cajun Navy 2016, a non-profit rescue and recovery organization that responded to the 2016 flooding in south Louisiana and 2017's Hurricane Harvey in Texas. Jasper Colt, USA TODAY

Democratic members of congress wear sashes representing countries that President Donald Trump reportedly demeaned ahead of the State of the Union address on Jan. 30, 2018 from the House chamber of the United States Capitol in Washington. Jasper Colt, USA TODAY

As with most modern State of the Union addresses, the Trump's speech was both a credit-claiming victory lap and an agenda-setting list legislative proposals.

Trump once again touted the tax cut bill he signed into law in December that will "provide tremendous relief for the middle class and small businesses." He said he "ended the war on clean coal," cut more regulations than any other president, and canceled trade deals that he says are one-sided and unfair.

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But the State of the Union speech isn't just a report on the year that's passed. The Constitution requires the president to give an annual report to Congress and "recommend to their consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient."

Trump has a weighty legislative agenda he'd like to get through a Republican-dominated Congress before November's elections potentially change the legislative math.

"I am asking both parties to come together to give us the safe, fast, reliable, and modern infrastructure our economy needs and our people deserve," Trump said. His plan would spend $200 billion on roads, bridges, airports, schools and other public buildings — which he says will total $1.5 trillion when combined with state, local and private money.

That plan, which will be sent to Congress next month, would also streamline federal permitting to have major projects approved within one or two years.

"Together, we can reclaim our building heritage," he said. "And we will do it with American heart, American hands, and American grit."

More urgent: A self-imposed Feb. 8 deadline to address the fate of so-called "DREAMers," the children of undocumented immigrants who came to the United States as children and who will be subject to deportation under a Trump administration policy. Trump wants a series of other immigration changes — including $25 billion for border security, limits on family-based "chain" migration and an end to the diversity visa lottery system.

The government is operating on its fourth short-term spending bill since last October, and Democrats in the Senate have tied approval of a long-tern bill to Trump's approval of permanent protections for DREAMers.

Trump said his proposal represents a "down-the-middle compromise" — leading to laughter from the Democratic side of the House chamber.

Trump's first State of the Union address presented a unique challenge for the unconventional president, who's more accustomed to speaking in 280-character tweets and brief exchanges with reporters than formal address.

But the prime-time televised address also gave Trump an unfiltered opportunity to talk about his presidency without the distraction of daily headlines about the Russia investigation and White House intrigue. Trump's speech contained no hint of those controversies.

Trump's speech was organized around a rhetorical device pioneered by President Ronald Reagan — putting everyday Americans in the gallery with the first lady — and using them to humanize his presidency and his policies.

Trump's guests included a welder who just bought his first home and is using tax cut savings to help finance his children's education; parents who lost their children to the MS-13 gang; a blind, double amputee who re-joined the Marines after being injured in battle; and volunteers who did rescue work after floods, hurricanes, and wildfires.

"Over the last year, the world has seen what we always knew: that no people on Earth are so fearless, or daring, or determined as Americans," Trump said. "So let us begin tonight by recognizing that the state of our Union is strong because our people are strong."

Trump's tone was perhaps as carefully measured as the substance of his speech. While Trump is often combative in his relations with Congress — even members of his own party — State of the Union addresses often extol the virtues of bipartisanship.

Democrats questioned Trump's call for bipartisanship, given a year of intense party battles over items like health care and tax cuts.

“After a long and divisive year, many Americans were yearning for the President to present a unifying vision for the country," said Senate Democratic leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y. "Unfortunately, his address tonight stoked the fires of division instead of bringing us closer together.”

And in the official Democratic response, Rep. Joe Kennedy of Massachusetts, struck a defiant tone.

“Bullies may land a punch,” says Kennedy in a prepared speech released by Democratic leaders. “They might leave a mark. But they have never, not once, in the history of our United States, managed to match the strength and spirit of a people united in defense of their future.”

Indeed, the State of the Union address has become increasingly polarizing in recent years, with members of the president's party applauding enthusiastically and the opposition party largely sitting on its hands.

Trump's speech drew a deeply partisan reaction from beginning to end. Most Democrats dressed in black and wore other symbolic items as a show of dissent – including members of the Congressional Black Caucus who donned Kente cloth scarves and ties to protest Trump's alleged remarks calling certain African countries "shitholes."

On the Republican side of the chamber, many GOP women wore red or blue — an effort to create a patriotic pastiche.

There were groans and even hissing from Democrats to some of Trump's most contentious lines — including to his argument that "open borders" have allowed "drugs and gangs to pour into our most vulnerable communities. They have allowed millions of low-wage workers to compete for jobs and wages against the poorest Americans."

The few moments of bipartisanship came when Trump talked about lowering drug prices and rebuilding the nation's infrastructure. And the one moment that catapulted Schumer out of his seat? When Trump touted his decision to move the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem.

The Trump campaign further politicized the event Tuesday, turning the official speech into a fundraising opportunity. In a solicitation, the campaign told supporters that if they give as little as $1, their names would appear on a live stream on the campaign's website.

"It’s not about just one of us," the campaign's fundraising pitch says. "It’s about ALL of us. Which is why your name deserves to be displayed during Tuesday night’s speech."